Venetian blind



1939- R. K. HOLLINGSWORTH 2,143,812

VENETIAN BLIND Filed March 26, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l H flow I. i m

I M x w A A W I flaw (in Feb. 28, 1939. R. K. HOLLINGSWORTH 2,143,812

VENETIAN BLIND Filed March 26, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 arnish-m x. nouinmmnwumnstowno.

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1; Claims. for. 156-17) This invention relates to-Venetian blinds and more particularly'to a blind of this general type I wherein different portions of the slats may be individually adjusted in addition to operating all 5.. of the slats simultaneously.

, An object of the invention is to provide a Venetian blind with a'tiltin'g bar mechanism, for control over the blind as a whole and to'have an an:- iliary tilting mechanism for regulating a portion of the blind slats independently of the main tilt-" ing mechanism.

Another object of the-invention is to simplify the conventional'tilting mechanism now used on blinds of this type to insure that the tilting action of the slats is positive in operation, rugged in construction and readily installable.

Inthe drawinsl. Fig. 1-is a side elevation of the blind support- Fig. 2 is 'a side elevation of the main tilting bar mechanism; a

Fig.- 3 is a side elevation of the auxiliarytiiting bar mechanism; v

Fig. 4 is atop plan view of the tilting bars taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

' Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a cord lock for the p raising and lowering cords;

Fig. 6 is a verticaisection of theblind slats in horizontal normal position: i {lo Fig. '7 is a similar view showing. some of theblind'slats in tilted position;

Fig. 8 is anenlarged detail, partially in section of the main tilting bar mechanism; a

Fig. 9 is a similar view of the auxiliary tilting barmechanism;-

i Fig. 10 is a top plan view of a portion of the blind slat showing the supporting tapes and tape binder clip in section.-

: specifically in the drawings numeral i denotes a top horizontal blind supporting bar ormem-- her having the requisite number'of conventional cord pulleys I inleted therein. The bar and.

- pulleyniechanisni-are secured, infthe top of the window opening in any'deslred manner.

Attached tothe underside of the top supporting bar are a pair of spaced blind supporting brackets I. with which is combined a tilting.

mechanism which will be hereinafter described in detail;

Figs. 2, 3, 8, and 9 are detailed illustrations of the main and auxiliary tilting bar mechanism which, as before noted, form an integral part of the supporting brackets. 3. While the tilting mechanisms are substantially similar, Figs. 2 and 55 8 are specific to the bracket shown at the right usgsaui mimic hand side of the blind, and Figs. 3 and 9 are specific to the bracket and tilting bar mechanism shown at the left of Fig. 1.

, Each of the brackets 8 comprises a depending plate I, having aside opening 8 with integral offset horizontal I formed therein for the reception of a rotary shaft 8 on which is fastened a worm gear I. The outer end of the shaft 1 is provided'with'a drive pulley ll over which an operatingcord H is run in a notched periph ery groove i2. c The brackets are also formed with an outwardly extending loop it through which the operatingoords pass for the purpose of retaining the cords in podtion when adjusting the blind slats. Each bracket plate I has an axial opening I! therein for supporting the reduceddiameter of the end of oscillating bar clamping member II. These clamps have a-cylindrical portion II, which passes axially through the sleeve H 'of tilting gear segments It on whose periphery are gear teeth It cooperating with worm gear 9.

The oppositely spaced bar clamps it retain therebetween a main blind tilting bar and oscfllating and tilting movement is given this barthrough the mechanism shown at the right hand of Fig. 1 and also in'l 'lgs. 2 and 8. As will be seen, the clamping arms of I! hold opposite sides of the bar I. and are attached to bearing cylinder H, which terminates in the reduced diameter axle ll retained in the outside plate of the-bracket. A pin 22 secures the cylinder bearing I4 and sleeve I! of the right hand bracket together so that when the pulley II is operated movement will be given bar II to oscillate or tilt the same in either direction and to any degree.

The left hand clamp is of substantially the same construction as the clamp just described, although its purpose is to tilt or oscillate the auxiliary tilting bar or frame It As shown-in Fig. 4, this auxiliary tilting bar or frame encompasses the main tilting bar 20- and is slightly spaced therefrom, and while it may be constructed oi any suitable materials, a simple rectangular. metal frame has been found eminently satisfactory.

The auxiliary frame 25 isriveted or otherwise secured to the cylinder portion ll of the left hand bracket-J iThus when the segmental gear plate ll of the left hand bracket is tilted, it will move the auxiliary frame 25 without affecting the posi- "tion of the main tilting bar 20.

Conventional slat supporting flexible straps 28 are secured to opposite sides of the main tilting bar 20 and have a desired number of slats 2! hung therebetween on cross straps 28, and, as is well known in the art, the upper, or if preferred,

the lower may thus be tilted to obscure light and air when the tilting mechanism controlling the main tilting bar 20 is operated.

Additional flexible straps 30 are secured to opposite sides of the auxiliary tilting frame and hang parallel to and preferably in overlapping relation to the main tilting straps 25. Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, it will be observed that the auxiliary slat straps overlap the entire series of the slats 28 in-the blind.

Depending on whether the main bar straps are intended to operate aseries of the upper or lower slats, the straps 2B and 30 are loosely bound by clips- 3| secured to the. main straps 26. These clips are merely forthe purpose of keeping.the sets of straps in general alignment and, as shown in Fig. 10, they hook over but do not bind the auxiliary straps 30. It is desirable to attach a small flat weight 32 on the bottom slat of the upper series so that this series is always fully open and will not be moved when the auxiliary straps 30 are operated.

.The blind illustrated in the drawings shows the main tilting bar 20 connected to the u per series of slats 28, while the auxiliary frame 25 is attached to the lower series of slats, and consequently it is possible for the user to tilt the auxiliary bar 25 to completely block of! light in the lower portion of the blind, while leaving the upper portion of the blind open for light and ventilation. Such an arrangement is most desirable in physicians offices, apartments. and the like,

as it provides means for ventilation, while maintaining privacy at the lower portion of the blind. This is particularly advantageous as Venetian blinds generally cover the entire window opening. Of course, when complete privacy is desired both tilting bars are operated to tilt all of the slats.

When it is desired to draw up the entire blind and collapse the slats either partially or fully;

the user grasps the slat elevating cords 35, which only desirable to raise a portion of the slats, but

regardless, it is essential that some-means be provided for holding the lifting cords 35 to maintain the adjustment.

- Various and sundry devices have been heretofore proposed, such as pivoted spring pressed cams, cleats or anchoring knobs affixed on the window frame, but usually these devices are quite unsatisfactory.

The cord lock illustrated in Fig. 5 comprises a U-shaped bracket or strap member 40 fastened on the underside of the top supporting bar 2| just below the end cord pulley 2. A horizontal shaft ll is mounted between the depending arms of the U-shaped member and is freely rotatable therein.

A toothed or notched cylindrical segment 42 surrounds one end of the shaft 4|, and is secured to a depending arm of the member 40, the teeth thereof cooperating with teeth formedon the end of the freely rotatable cylinder 43 also car ried on the shaft ll. Between the end of the shaft I and the opposite arm of the U-shaped member is a coilspring H urging the teeth on members 42 and 43 into engagement.

The. lift cords 35 are preferably spirally arranged around the cylinder 43 in double spiral grooves 45 to insure that they have ample frictional contact with the cylinder.

Assuming that the blind is in lowered position and the user desires to elevate the slats, he first grasps the free depending ends of the cords 35 and draws them toward him to disengage the teeth of the cord lock andthereupon continues pulling on the cords to elevate the blinds. When the slats have been raised to the proper heights the user slackens on the cordswhereupon the spring 44 will force the teeth into engagement and thus lock the entire assembly.

What I claim is:

1. In a Venetian type blind, a top supporting bar, spaced depending brackets fastened thereto, a pair of slat supporting tilting bars pivoted therebetween, and operating mechanism forming part of each bracket for. individually tilting said bars.

2. In a Venetian type blind, a top supporting bar, spaced'apart depending brackets fastened to the underside of said bar,.a main tilting bar pivotally mounted between said brackets, an auxiliary tilting bar also pivoted between said brackets, tilting mechanism forming part of each of said bracket, the main and auxiliary bars receiving tilting movement from opposite brackets.

3. In a Venetian blind, a top supporting bar therefor, depending brackets secured to each end thereof, a pair of slat supporting tilting bars pivoted between the said end brackets, a horizon--. tal worm gear forming part of each bracket, and

an arcuate toothed plate affixed to each of said tilting bars and meshing with the said worms.

4. A slat adjusting device for Venetian blinds comprising a pivoted bar having flexible slat straps fastened thereto, a pivoted frame slightly spaced from and enclosing said bar, flexible slat straps fastened thereto, a gear segment secured to one end ofboth the said bar and the said frame, and worms meshing with gears for adjusting the position ofthe bar and the frame.

5. In a Venetian type blind, a horizontal supporting member, spaced depending brackets secured thereto, apivotedbarheldtherebetween,flexible looped slat holding straps depending from the said pivoted bar, a rectangular frame encompassing said bar and also supported by said spaced brackets, flexible looped slat holding straps depending from said frame, said first mentioned straps terminating at approximately half thedistance of the second mentioned straps and means forming part of the depending brackets for tilting the pivoted bar or the rectangular frame. v

6. In a Venetian type blind, a top horizontal supporting member, spaced depending brackets said sets of straps, a series of spaced slats positioned between the sets of straps and means for tilting either said bar or saidframe.

'7. A plural "tilting mechanism for Venetian blinds comprising a horizontal top supporting bar, a pair of spaeedbrackets depending therefrom, each of said brackets having gears mounted in horizontal ,r'elationto said supporting bar,

horizontal tilting bars pivoted betweensaid brackets, each bar being oscillatedby one of said gears and depending slat supporting loops secured to the said tilting bars. V 8. In a Venetian blind, a top horizontal blind supporting bar, a pair of spaced depending brackets secured thereto, horizontally mounted shafts carrying worm gears mounted on said brackets, a tilting bar pivoted between said brackets, a gear secured to one end thereof and meshing with the worm gear carried on one oi. said brackets, a rectangular frame enclosing said tilting bar, said frame being pivoted between said bracketsonthesame horizontal axisassaidtiltinz bar, a gear secured to one end of said frame and meshing with the other of said worm gears carried on the other 01' said brackets, and pairs .of parallel slat supporting loops depending from the said tilting bar and the saidirame, the loops dependingirom one of said members being of less length than the loops depending from the other of said members and slat raising and lowering cords suspended from the said top supporting bar. Y

RUSSELL K. HOILINGSWOR'I'H. 

